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Re: Zerg as Dungeons and Dragons monsters

Burrow: as a move action, the zergling may burrow. When burrowed the zegling cannot attack.The zergling may be burrowed for up to 4 rounds.

Ok, so it can't attack, but what else can it not do? Also, burrowing is useless if you:

1) Don't specify up to what depth the zergling can bury itself in one move action
2) What material the zergling can dig into
3) How long it can stay there
4) Whether or not someone can see the zergling, or even look at the hole that it made, dig it up, and then kill it.

adrenal rush: the zergling increases to 10 square movement. It may attack once more with it's bite.

Re: Zerg as Dungeons and Dragons monsters

The Zergling should just have burrow speed like other burrowing monsters. Staying underground and not moving is rather pointless.

2d4 for 2 claws on a small creature is pretty strong. Even Large-sized Dire Wolves only have a bite of 1d8. I'd say its melee attacks would only be

Melee 2 claws +x (1d4-1) and bite +(x-5) (1d6-1)

Why is this CR 4? The Ogre is CR 3. The Zergling, which is about the size of a dog (at most medium-sized, because the Hydralisk would actually count as Huge at almost 18 feet long), can't have more HP then a musclebound 9-foot tall monster.

Try to look for a monster that's comparatively-sized and think of a target CR first. From there you can determine how much hit dice it would have and what its ability scores are.

As for the alignment, the lower-end Zerg are little more than animals. I'd make them have a Hive Mind ablity that allows them to communicate, and probably keep them Neutral. It's only the sentient Overmind and Cerebrates that are really evil. I'd make everything less than an overlord Vermin-type. They're mindless for the most part and don't have the cunning intelligence and ideology that other aberrations have. Overlords, Queens, Cerebrates and the Overmind can be aberrations. (There actually are creatures whose types vary within their race---the Neogi, for example, are Aberrations, but their elderly become Vermin due to their mindless nature)

Re: Zerg as Dungeons and Dragons monsters

Also, what is it's standard attack routine? You gave full attack, but no simple attack line (unless claw-claw-bite is a normal attack, in which case you're missing full attack, and these things are insanely powerful for a CR4).

Further, which feat is a bonus feat and which are normal feats? Also, with +3 DEX bonus and Improved Initiative, Initiative is at +7 unless they get a random -2 racial penalty for some reason.

You say abilities to be done; do them. As of right now, you have... Let's see, assuming 5 HD, that's 10-11 STR, 16-17 DEX, 16-17 CON, - INT, probably 10-11 WIS, and 10-11 CHA. This also means that either your saving throws or your armor class is off. Actually, check that - saving throws are off. Aberration types get good Will saves only. Saves should be +4 Fort, +4 Ref, and +4 Will after stat mods, again assuming 5 HD.

Speaking of HD, the BAB should just be +3 with 4-5 HD on an Aberration. On that note, you need to give the actual attack bonuses they get on each attack to their attack routine.

Also, at the moment they appear to be getting at least -1 racial Move Silently and -2 Hide.

Next, you need to give an advancement line.

Finally, everything 13_CBS said is correct, though you did give them a burrow speed so that answers one of his questions. Oh, but movement is expressed in feet, then squares... So Adrenaline Rush should read

Adrenal Rush (Ex, Su, or Sp): (number) per (time period), a Zergling may increase their movement speed by 10 feet and gains an extra bite (on a full attack routine maybe) for (time period).

That last part also means that the speed line needs to say "40 feet (8 squares), burrow 10 feet (2 squares)."

Re: Zerg as Dungeons and Dragons monsters

I made just about every Zerg for D&D a while back in 3.0. They're not amazing, but it's something to look at. I'll probably update to 3.5 or 4.0 once StarCraft II is out.

Spoiler

Show

Zerg Type:
Zerg are monstrous and deadly, mutated to be horrible killing machines, Zerg are dangerous foes.
Hit Die: d10.
Base Attack Bonus: As fighter (equal to HD).
Good Saving Throws: Fortitude and Reflex.
Skill Points: 0-15.
Feats: None (beyond bonus feats).
Example: Hydralisk.
Notes: All Zerg have the hive mind and fast healing abilities and are immune to all mind-influencing effects, disease, poison, and acid. All Zerg have darkvision with a range of 120 feet, and are immune to the effects of vacuums. Zerg capable of flight gain zero-g training as a bonus feat and may fly at their fly speed in a vacuum.
Hive mind (Ex): All Zerg are in constant communication with the Overlords, who are in constant communication with their Cerebrate. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in a particular group is not flat-footed, none of them are. No Zerg in such a group is considered flanked unless all of them are. All Zerg units within one mile of an overlord can see everything that it sees.
Fast healing (Ex): All Zerg heal at a rate of one hit point per hit die per hour.
The Creep: Creep is a thick organic bio-matter that Zerg eggs and structures use as nutrients. It is produced by some Zerg structures. Zerg that are in or on the Creep heal at twice the normal rate.

Defilers are the perfect example of the fanatic and sadistic nature of the Zerg. Like the larvae, the defiler carries the genetic code of every other Zerg breed, bit it does not produce them. To the contrary, the defiler uses these genetic matrices to produce cancer-like toxins which have dramatic and deadly effects.

Combat:
The Defiler prefers to avoid direct combat, relishing instead in the use of its unique bio-chemical abilities.
Poison (Ex): The touch of a defiler is poisonous to all non-Zerg. This poison deals 1d6 strength damage as initial damage and 1d6 constitution damage as secondary damage with a DC of 13.
Plague (Ex): With this ability, the defiler produces a batch of corrosive spores that it then explosively projects (range 50 feet) in a dense 10 foot radius cloud around its enemies. This highly toxic cloud corrodes anything caught within its midst, dealing 2d6 acid damage. A successful reflex save (DC 18) halves this damage. The acid continues to deal damage for two more rounds, dealing another 2d6 damage to all creatures affected (1d6 to anyone who made the reflex save) per round. All creatures hit by the toxin must make a fortitude save (DC 18 or 14 if they made the reflex save), or be poisoned (initial damage: 1d6 Con, secondary damage: 2d6 Con). This ability can be used once per day.
Dark Swarm (Ex): The body of the Defiler is covered with a countless number of smaller creatures that feed off each other. By spontaneously launching a number of these creatures into the fray, the defiler can create a thick cloud of living insects to distract the Swarm’s enemies and provide cover for other breeds. This cloud acts as a fog cloud spell (caster level 5), except that all non-Zerg creatures within must make fortitude saves (DC 14) or take a -1 penalty to attack and damage rolls for 1 minute, if they succeed they are unaffected by this effect for three rounds. This ability can be used once per day.

Mutalisks can metamorph into another form once they become strong enough (11 HD), which is believed to be based on the defensive form of the mantis screamer.

Combat:
The Zerg devourer attacks by lobbing explosive gobs of acid, much like the guardian.
Acid (Ex): An attack made by a Devourer deals 1d8 acid damage for one extra round, this effect is otherwise identical to Melf’s acid arrow. This attack deals 1d3 damage to every creature within 5 feet of the target (reflex save DC 18 negates).

The savage gashyrr wasps of Eldersthine were initially inducted into the swarm to serve as resource gatherers. Over time they became Drones, engineered with the Larvae’s ability to break down their own genetic coding and transform themselves into rudimentary Zerg structures. A transforming Drone needs the Creep to provide nourishment and mass to support its new form. Like the Larvae, Drones are controlled by the Overlords who monitor their progress through a type of instinctive telepathy.

Combat:
Drone rarely enter combat, but they can be dangerous if attacked.
Metamorph (Ex): Much like larvae, drones can metamorph into living structures. They take on the form of a cocoon until the metamorphosis is complete. The metamorphosis takes one day for every hit die the structure has.

Mutalisks can metamorph into another form once they become strong enough (11 HD), which is believed to be based on the nesting form of the mantis screamer.

Combat:
The Zerg guardian has a thicker armored carapace and attacks by lobbing explosive gobs of acid.
Acid (Ex): An attack made by a Guardian deals 1d8 acid damage for one extra round, this effect is otherwise identical to Melf’s acid arrow.

The peaceful, herbivore herds of slothien were assimilated into the Zerg swarm in order to produce one of the most fierce and diabolical of the Zerg strains. The evolutionary matrix of the caterpillar-like slothien was supercharged by the Overmind, twisting the hapless creatures into nighmarish killers know as hydralisks. These once mild creatures now hunger for blood and violence, and they are infamous for acting in a particularly sadistic fashion. The spindly, snake-like hydralisks house hundreds of armor piercing spines within their upper carapace plates. These spines can be fired in volleys at enemies at long range.

Combat:
Hydralisks try to soften their opponents with their needle spines before moving into melee, using zerglings to block their enemies advances against them. The hydralisk’s spines are armor piercing and thus Gain a bonus to attack equal to the target's combined armor and natural armor bonuses (max +3).

Once Terran soldiers and civilians, the infested victims of the Zerg are completely consumed by the will of the Overmind.

Combat:
Their bodies twisted and mutated to produce extremely unstable chemicals, infested soldiers long only to find the swarm’s enemies and destroy them by detonating their own bodies in a cloud of toxic fluid.
Detonate (Ex): Infested Terrans can detonate themselves, creating an explosion with a 10 foot radius. All creature caught in the blast take 2d6 fire damage, 1d6 piercing damage, and 1d6 acid damage. A successful reflex save (DC 16) halves all damage.

The closest creatures to the original Zerg insectoids are the larvae. Although their size and toughness were greatly boosted by the Xel'Naga during their experiments, they still possess the two traits that originally intrigued the ancient masters: genetic versatility and psychic sensitivity.

Combat:
Larvae do not enter combat and have no attacks of their own.
Metamorph (Ex): Each larvae contains within it the genetic makeup of every other Zerg breed. With a command from the Overmind, the larvae will enter a pupal state and begin the metamorphosis into whichever breed is required by the hive. The larva first takes the form of an egg. The egg then produces one or more Zerg in one day per hit die of the breed (combined if more than one). Larva may produce two zerglings or scourges at one time.
Creep dependency (Ex): Larvae and eggs cannot exist away from the creep. Larvae who stray from the Creep and eggs removed from it lose one hit point every round until they die.

One of the newer and deadlier Zerg strains, evolved from the Hydralisk, these creatures serve as defense warriors for the hive clusters and outlying Zerg colonies.

Combat:
Bred from the hydralisk strain, lurkers emit waves of supra-dense spines against their enemies. However Lurkers must burrow underground to release these subterranean attacks. These spines are armor piercing, and thus Gain a bonus to attack equal to the target's combined armor and natural armor bonuses (max +3). The attack is compared to the armor class of all creatures in the area and damages all those hit.

The mutalisk has been little changed from its original form, the roving mantis screamer of the desolate Dinares sector. Capable of both atmospheric and deep space flight, the mutalisks are the primary flying force of the Zerg

Combat:
Mutalisks attack by expelling a voracious symbiote that rapidly slices its way through opposing forces.

The semi-intelligent, space-faring behemoths know as the gargantis proximae were inducted into the Swarm so that their heightened senses could benefit Zerg warriors in battle. The gargantis flyers were assimilated into the Swarm so well that the cerebrates use them to maintain control over their forces. Overlords keep warriors of the Swarm ordered and coordinated during battle, and with their enhanced senses they often serve as advanced scouts. They have the innate ability to sense any hidden enemy units, including those under the effects of cloaking systems or distortion fields.

Combat:
Overlords tend to stay out of direct combat, instead commanding other warriors and sensing hidden enemies.
Blindsight (Ex): Overlords have blindsight with a range of 1000 feet.
Ventral Sacs (Ex): In addition to commanding troops against their enemies, the Overlords also have the responsibility of transporting Zerg warriors within the hollows of their reinforced carapace hides. An overlord can hold within itself 2 huge creatures, 8 large creatures, 32 medium-sized creatures, or 128 small creatures.
Skills: Overlords receive a +10 bonus on all Listen, Search, and Spot checks.

The Zerg queen does not produce larvae, as her name might suggest, but she has earned her royal status from her ability to spawn numerous other parasitic creatures.

Combat:
The queen has only vary weak claws and since her lightly armored body leaves her vulnerable to attack, she usually stays near the central hive to watch over maturing Zerg.
Parasite (Ex): A Queen can launch a small remora-like creature at an opponent (attack bonus +4). This parasite attaches itself to the targeted creature and slowly drains its life, while at the same time spying on the enemy. Every hour that the creature is attached the creature makes a fortitude save (DC 20) to resist taking 1d3 strength damage. Removing the creature without care kills the creature instantly, but with a successful heal check (DC 20), the creature instead takes 1d4 damage. This ability can be used once per day.
Ensnare (Ex): The Queen sprays her victims with a thick mucous that slows down advancing (or retreating) forces that acts as a tangle-foot bag, except in a 20 foot radius. This ability can be used three times per day.
Spawn Broodling (Ex): The queen launches a small glob of spores at an enemy. The spores attempt to “fertilize” any organic mater that they come in contact with. Victims make a fortitude save (DC 20) to resist. If the save fails the victim is instantly metabolized and used to feed the growth of a pair of broodlings (dealing 1d6 constitution damage), which hatch in one round. Once the Broodlings have hatched the victim makes another fortitude save (DC 24) or dies as the broodlings devour him from the inside. After another round the broodlings are fully developed and ready to fight. This ability can be used once per day.

The roverlisk, originally a large blue dog incorporated as an experiment on Bhekar Ro to see how well it would perform, has caught on as a more powerful version of the Zergling. A roverlisk looks like a large blue dog covered in spikes with four eye stalks where its two eyes should be.

Combat:
Roverlisks charge into battle with little thought of strategy and attempt to tear their pray to peaces.

Scourges are blind terrors that seek out enemy spacecraft and dive into them. Catalytic agents found within the body of the scourge cause it to explode like a living plasma bomb when it smashes itself against an enemy.

Combat:
Scourges charge into large groups of enemies or single large enemies and detonate themselves.
Blindsight (Ex): Scourges have blindsight with a range of 200 feet.
Detonate (Ex): Scourges can detonate themselves, creating an explosion with a 10 foot radius. All creature caught in the blast take 2d6 energy damage, 1d6 ballistic damage, and 1d6 acid damage. A successful reflex save (DC 18) halves all damage.

Baring little resemblance to the docile brontolith that they were evolved from, the dreaded ultralisk is the most powerful of the Zerg ground forces. They serve as the backbone of the Swarm’s armies and should be considered as dangerous as any armored vehicle.

Combat:
These massive monstrosities are used as living battering rams against all manner of enemies. The large bone-like scythes that protrude from their backs are nearly indestructible, allowing them to tear through most known substances with ease.

The small, savage dune-runners of the sand-world Zz’gash were incorporated into the Zerg swarms to serve as scouts and initial assault troops.

Combat:
Although the zerglings are little more then feral animals, they work well in large groups under the command of larger Zerg warriors. The voracious zerglings are found of ripping enemies to shreds with their razor-limb sickles and fangs.
Leaping charge (Ex): A zergling that charges can make a full attack action with it's natural weapons instead of one attack.
Improved initiative (Ex): Zerglings that advance to 2 HD gain improved initiative as a bonus feat.
Adrenal Glands (Ex): Zerglings that advance to 3 HD gain the ability to make one additional claw attack at their regular attack bonus minus 5 each round.

Drones may metamorph into living structures that have a variety of functions. The statistics for a basic structure appear above. Structures may be enhanced by any of the following abilities:
Corrosive spores (Ex): The structure may fire a corrosive spore as a ranged attack with a range increment of 50 feet. This attack deals 2d8 acid damage, and 1d8 acid damage on the following round. The structure has an effective 14 dexterity when attacking with these spores. This adds 2 to the structure's challenge rating.
Creep production (Ex): The structure produces Creep in a 100-foot radius around it. This does not change the structure's challenge rating.
Enhanced hit dice (Ex): The structure gains additional hit dice. This adds 1 to the structure's challenge rating for every two hit dice added.
Larvae production (Ex): The structure produces a single larva every hour. This adds 2 to the structure's challenge rating.
Subterranean spine (Ex): The structure may extend a spiked tentacle through the Creep up to 100 feet away (though not extending beyond the creep). This is considered a melee attack that deals 4d8+3 damage. The structure has an effective 14 strength when attacking with this tentacle. This adds 3 to the structure's challenge rating.